Indian Minister of State for Defence MM Pallam Raju says he is pleased with the statement. PHOTO: AFP/FILE

KARACHI: The Indian government on Thursday welcomed Pakistan’s statement on resolving the Siachen issue, with the Indian Minister of State for Defence MM Pallam Raju saying he is pleased with the statement, Express News reported.

He had said that Pakistan and India should resolve all outstanding disputes with each other, including Kashmir and Siachen, through dialogue.

Earlier, in a similar statement, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had also advised the Pakistani government to take the lead and withdraw its troops from Siachen Glacier where 138 troops and civilians were buried by a massive avalanche over a week ago.

Correction: An earlier version of this article had incorrectly attributed a statement by Indian Minister of State for Defence, MM Pallam Raju to the Indian Defence Minister AK Antony. The correction has been made.

Reader Comments (36)

If humans cannot resolve issues through dialogs,using logics in deliberations democratically in present world then UN should exclude them in list of humans Can any one present this resolution in Un councel

Voices of sanity are being heard from both sides of the borders too frequently, hope this is not the time for SOMEONE to break into once again to disrupt the feelings of mutual harmony & poison the relations once again.

A very positive move indeed.Countries like pakistan and india are not in a position to afford a “ROTI ” at a cost of RS 100 at siachin. A lot can achieved by investing these funds in education ,health and other welfare activities.

Funny development …. its like one fine day my neighbour invades my house and starts throwing bricks from the roof. I try my level best to enter my house but can’t. Now after being hurt by a brick, I console myself with the logic that me and my neighbour can negotiate and the funny part is that my neighbour aplauds me. Indeed might is right …. Hail to India the undisputed bully of the region.

Things we learnt when a lot of blood is already wasted. War is horrible and this region of South Asia is one land. No matter we call ourselves Pakistanis and others Indians. The fact is that we are one race, almost similar languages and cultures. No external ideology of middle east can change what we have inherited through history.

The only fair solution to the problem is to restore the pre 1984 position as per Simla Accord. Both the armies must go back to their previous positions and declare the Siachen glacier as demilitarized zone open only for mountaineering expeditions from both countries.

@Babar:
Thanx babar. It is nice to know that u have finally acknowledged what the world knows. Now can we move on with life. Lets give back to India what is theirs, this is line going north from NJ9842 and lets keep whats ours. A weak state cannot be a revisionist state. The earlier we understand this the better for us.

@Roflcopter:
Thats a matter of perception. We feel that Pakistan has been the aggressor in most cases. So lets agree to disagree and keep the soldiers there. And since we have the advantage, why should we hand it back to you. After all its a matter of which country can afford it more and if we feel that we can afford it why should we hand it back to you.

@Babar:
The mullahs and the military have ruined our country. These guys are out of touch with the reality and are pursuing their hate-filled campaigns for personal reasons, ignoring the interests of the nation. More and more people are asking what we achieved with our 60 year resentment and hatred against India. We attacked them four times — and had to retreat each time with a black eye and lot of illwill from the world at large. Even the so-called Muslim solidarity, which we expected from Islamic countries, was not forthcoming. They treat us like scavengers. How much are we going to beg to keep our country running? Is it not better to vacate the Siachen which benefits nobody. Let us take the first step, if it is killing our soldiers, who are dying from the ice and freezing temperatures than from enemy bullets. Let India keep Siachen which, in any case, is of no use. We have to be realistic Our economy badly needs resources and one way is to learn to compete, even though the neighbour is much bigger, better and more resourceful. Competition brings out the best in human beings, as any management teacher will tell you. We urgently need reforms in our feudal society which has harmed us while even smaller countries, including one time East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), fare better than us. We are all sick and tired of the madrassah mentality that is unable and unwilling to change, and is causing irreparable harm to our country and our people. Recommend

When countries cannot resolve issues, Nature plays its role. Let good sense prevail on both sides and bring peace and prosperity to the region. Some way should be found out where both countries vacate the region and neither allows any expedition or tourism in that region.

Its strange to see comments Pallam Raju makes the top news in Pakistani media, while no news paper in India seem to bother much. India has for very long expressed its interest to be friends with Pakistan however less interest shown from the later. Its seems the country’s crippled economy and dire state affairs had made the government realize importance of having a friend given the so called friends seem to brand it as a rouge. I sincerely hope that Pakistan becomes prosperous and the people of the country have a good life in the future, in that future whether the Pakistan still desire to be a friend to its neighbor or its just call for relief in adversity.

a regrettable thing happened ,140 soldiers died of natural,unpreventable causes but many thousands of killed by extreemist deliberately targeting them .NO HUE AND CRY ,
just remember if India wants it ,then you should want it too,or as usual you are you happy to raise your hands up
Mr kiyani should not make political statements and their is no honour in unilateral withdrawal as the greats fugitive Nawaz suggested

@Zaid Hamid: “Now when India vacates Siachen, we will capture it like we did in Kargil. Well played Gen. Kiyani.”

That is definitely a legitimate concern for India. This is why the criteria outlined by India for vacating are very clear. Both countries should authenticate AGPL (Actual Ground Position Line). Therebu anyone who crosses the AGPL is deemed an aggressor.